Don’t waste a workout – intensity is the key

If you are overweight and trying to lose pounds, don’t focus on how many calories a cardio machine says you are burning. They are not accurate, anyway.

Instead, focus on the amount of time and at what intensity level you are exercising. The harder you work, and the longer you work, the more calories you burn.

To maximize weight loss, exercising about 300 minutes a week at a moderate intensity level is recommended. That’s working out for about an hour on most days. If you can’t last an hour, start with 30 minutes and work your way up.



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If you are more physically fit, you should spend about 150 minutes a week exercising at a vigorous intensity level. That breaks down to about 25 minutes a day.

So,  how do you determine intensity level?  Moderate intensity level is working at 55 percent to 69 percent of your age-related maximum heart rate. Vigorous intensity level is working at 70 percent to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate.

The formula to calculate your age-related maximum heart rate is:
           

 220 – age = maximum heart rate, in beats per minute.

If you are 40 years old, your maximum heart rate would be 180.

To determine your range for moderate intensity, use this calculation: Multiply the maximum heart rate by .55 (55 percent) and then by .69 (69 percent).  So, if you’re 40, the range would be 99 to 124.2.

To get your range for vigorous intensity: Multiply the maximum heart rate by .70 (70 percent) and then by .85 (85 percent).  If you’re 40, the range would be 126 to 153.

But here is the clincher. You have to spend the correct number of minutes exercising at the appropriate intensity level. So, if the recommendation is to work for 60 minutes a day at a moderate intensity level, you may have to spend a total of 75 minutes exercising in order to get 60 minutes at the desired level. In this example, you’re allowing yourself to spend 15 minutes outside the moderate intensity level.

That means if you have a goal, you can’t mindlessly zone out when you are working out. You have to be engaged in your workout. Pay attention to what you are doing, know how hard you are working and how long you’ve been working.

One of the best ways to make sure you’re exercising at the correct intensity level is to invest in a heart-rate monitor. These allow you to check your heart rate at any time with just a glance. Or you can follow the readouts on the exercise equipment, which are generally accurate for heart rate.

                 

It simply is not enough just to exercise when you are trying to enhance weight loss. The exercise has to fit the formula.

          Consistency (time + intensity) = results.